NZ - Cooks Cove - Tolaga Bay

today - Kiwi Christmas Eve - we head north of Gisborne along the coast to the old settlement of Waima - the old dock and brick buildings have seen much better days when wool was shipped by sea.....the small nearby town is too far off the track to benefit from tourism.....we walk the wharf and spot some unique birds that are nested in the decaying wharf.....it is a beautiful harbour......we head further south to Tolaga Bay and at the north end of the harbour, climb the steps up to the cliff lookout....Tolaga Bay in the distance is inviting....the longest wharf in New Zealand is easy to spot....the sky is really unusual and provides some spectacular colourful finishing touches....we head on back to the car and drive over to the old wharf......it was a working wharf until the second world war, but again, progress made the wharf uneconomical and it is just a tourist attraction now.....from the wharf we head up to the Cooks Cove trail.....we'll climb about 400 ft to overlook the cove.....the trail goes through sheep grazing meadows, complete with sheep......Cathy is in heaven and tries to lure them closer....they seem a little shy....there are lots of lambs....we head back to town for our Kiwi Christmas dinner - roast beef, baked vegetables, bbq red peppers and chocolate cake (don't forget the Gisborne wine)....dinner is fantastic......tomorrow we drive south to Napier...sleep comes easy....WARNING - - - LOTS OF PICTURES FOLLOW!!!

road to Waima - high point - coastal view

birds - maybe gulls - first glimpse of them in Tokomaru Bay....not seen elsewhere (by us)

Welcome to the wharf!

tip of the old wharf....

unmaintained for many years.....

one of the little fellas.....sort of looks like one of those Mexican wrestlers!!

former wharf - current nesting area....

home sweet wharf.....

one more step and you'll you'll get a taste of my beak.....

the northern bluff of Tolaga Bay.....look at that sky.....no photoshop!!

3 little maids overlooking Tolaga Bay....

2 little hobbits with the big wharf stretching out in the distance......

2 little maids and a creep!

one last shot of the bluff.......such beautiful colours............

look out is right!

Norfolk pine shot......

I think we found a Christmas tree......did you bring the axe??...we'll just strap it to the roof of the car!

floating on Tolaga Bay.....

Kiwi driftwood Christmas tree......very Kiwi........very festive!.....

the wharf stretching out into Tolaga Bay........

3 little maids at the wharf entrance way......

the view from the wharf entrance......

the hike out to the end of the wharf is beautiful......

3 little maids half way up the wharf......

fisherman at the end of the wharf........

happy hikers........

the meadows on the way to Cooks Cove....

that's Baaabara......a thing of sheer beauty......looking a little sheepish.......

Cathy and Jess imitating hobbits imitating gophers in a sheep meadow.....and Linda........

enough sheep jokes....little lambs playing!

vista from the hiking trail to Cooks Cove

3 little maids at the Cooks Cove lookout - that is Cooks Cove to the right........

Cooks Cove and a remarkable sky.......I think I saw Donald Trump down there measuring up his golf course.......

more happy hikers.....Tolaga Bay in the background.....

I told you - lots of photos....

the wharf from off trail on the Cooks Cove hike.......

they can't see me if I hide behind this post!!

posing for the camera.....go ahead, take a sheep shot......say sweater!

rare sight of something that is not green.......

Scottish thistle.......where am I??

we see lots of these very shy black and white birds as we head further south.....

surfer bay along the road back to Gisborne......

sunny Jim serenades us from his Vancouver apartment as we enjoy our Kiwi Christmas dinner....thanks buddy, the music was beautiful - from half way around the world....

3 little maids sing a Christmas carol - Jess and Jarrett play together despite the wifi delay.....makes a Dad very proud........

NZ - GISBORNE DAY 2

day one in Gisborne and we decide to go some wineries except for Cathy who wants to spend some hours swimming in the local olympic size indoor pool…..the drive to the wineries is beautiful but the wineries are all closed so we head into town to the wine centre which is open…..the centre is on the inner harbour so we take a spot outside and sample 10 of the local wines….no disappointments here..lots of great whites - chardonnay, viognier and chenin blanc - and a couple of solid reds - merlot and malbec……2010 was a great year for grapes and wine in Gisborne (if you happen to be shopping)…..we pick up a couple of promising bottles, pick up Cathy from the pool (she is pretty wrinkled by this point) and head back to make some pasta, watch a couple of movies then crash……

NZ - GISBORNE

we are driving to Gisborne today and say goodbye to Jeanette…the drive again takes us through highlands and more lush vegetation….we hit a beautiful coastal town called Whakatane and stop to take it in………further on up the road we hit Opitiki.....the town is quiet and we find some local kids jumping off a bridge….while I am somewhat tempted to join them, I decide to pass on this one...discretion is the better part of valour or something like that….as we break out of the elevation and enter into the Gisborne coastal area, the vineyards begin to appear and rolling hills some full of sheep and others full of grapes become plentiful….we are almost getting used to it now….winding roads and pristine countryside….we come into this little coastal city and find our supplies fairly quickly….a dinner at a local pub cannot fail to include meeting someone with a wife from Texas or a husband from Missouri…..they are curious about our home and quick to share something unique about theirs…I’m encouraged to embrace roundabouts - try to appreciate the genius….I’ll work on it….(like I really have a choice)…..

Jeanette....good people....

can you spot Cathy under the Norfolk pine?.....

small island just off Whakatane.....

beautiful day and scenery....Jess treks to the end of the breakwater for a closer look....

looks like they've caught something.....

a couple of young divers check out the water below......

one goes....

the second is not far behind....